What you don't know about the slotted headstock.

[@Bowie.]

After buying my first slot-head, I fell in love w/ the elegance, and now almost all my acoustics are slot-head.

[@KelleySmithMusic]

ooh nifty! Kyle, these videos are so fresh. thanks for taking good care of my guitar!

[@kostringworks]

Dude I meant to tell you this was the vid your guitar makes a cameo in! Glad you found it anyway. I think it makes the whole vid. K&K working out?

[@KelleySmithMusic]

@@kostringworks yah Bonnie feels really famous! actually the last set I did was acoustic, in a wilderness cabin in Iowa. So I will let you know! The guitar feels lighter which is so nice.

[@ukestudio3002]

Great series of videos . Good details, common sense, good pacing. I’ve done a ton of reading on woods, sound physics, strings etc..(to pick out my dream guitars). ..but l’m learning stuff here. Thanks .! 👍🏽

[@kostringworks]

Hey I appreciate it! Anytime I can help someone on their way to a dream guitar I consider to be a great triumph! See ya in the comments!

[@rogertinker1813]

I just found this older video, I've only owned one slotted headstock I sold it . Not because it was slotted but still I never got good at changing the strings, they are very nice looking

[@kostringworks]

Yeah man, they can be a chore. At least we don’t have to tie our strings like those poor classical players.

[@rogertinker1813]

Lol ..for sure

[@MrCeeAre]

Just restrung my 812-12 fret for the first time and had EXACTLY the same issue you show at 6:18. Tip: Once strung, run a pick across the strings ABOVE the nut - they should give off a distinctive *tink* vs. a dull *thud*. If it don't tink, your restring stinks!

[@kostringworks]

Ha, nice! Hey I like that trick!

[@HectorSGCG]

It's impossible to me to not think this way: Slotted headstock: 🤓 Paddle headstock: 😎

[@syntaxlost9239]

Paddle headstocks are the OG back when guitars used friction pegs and machine heads were incredibly expensive to produce. They're still popular on flamenco guitars to preserve the original "flamenco" aesthetic either with friction pegs or mechanical tuners with orbital gears to look like friction pegs.

[@kostringworks]

Oooh really good insight. Forgot to mention the friction peg tradition. The baroque guitar too, paddle style. Thanks!!

[@wooggeek]

Thank you, i have one slotted, a 12 ovation pacemaker. (i know/ i know). :) I certainly dread changing strings on that. But if I change one string at a time I have the prior as a guide to know approximately where the string winding should end up to avoid snagging the wood slots. I suppose I could make a small mark with a sharpie on the tuning post. Either way it's a lot to take on compared to a telecaster ;). I appreciate your videos and talents!

[@kostringworks]

Thanks for watching! Regarding how far to wind: it’s a matter of opinion, but if you give yourself enough slack to get two or three winds, the break angle on these headstocks does a lot of the work for you as far as getting good downward pressure (which is the main reason for three wraps being optimal). Does that help? Two to three in the big strings, 4 to 5 on the little ones. As far as where it should end up on the post, it should take care of itself. I’d just pay attention to whether you should wrap to the in or outside of the box.

[@user-dj1gl5ix3m]

@@kostringworks Mr Kyle, what gauge set of strings do you recommend for these type of "000" guitars?

[@kostringworks]

@@user-dj1gl5ix3m it depends on a lot of things, but 12’s are always a safe bet! I kinda consider them mediums (even tho most string companies call them light).

[@BenAdam-om2hr]

My Martin 00015-S has six individual tuners, not 3 on a strip. I believe they switched to the strip some time after I got my (early iteration) model. I got it for the break angle and wider neck features.

[@kostringworks]

Yeah I’ve seen those too. I like the look of 3 in a line myself, what about you?

[@Intrinsic.Recording]

Hey, great video! Thanks. Stop putting tools on your bridge to pull your pins though. Reach your hand INSIDE the body, push the pin up! If it hurts to push up on it, put a glove on, or push with a square of cardboard. I'm not picking on you, I see a thousand videos with people putting all kinds of "tools" that can scratch the bridge. Crazy. Makes no sense if you're cutting the strings anyway... Just a tip from an old guitar guy.

[@kostringworks]

😂 I hear ya. The reason I like that tool though is cause the sides are round and there’s very little chance they could damage the saddle or bridge. But I appreciate you looking out and for watching old guitar guy!

[@Intrinsic.Recording]

I've left that same comment on like 5 people's channels with vids touting their own special tool to get the bridge pins out. I'm always scratchin' my head going wt*. I used to use all manner of stuff myself, until an OLDER gtr guy said "Man...what are you doing?!" Anyways, great video, thanks! @@kostringworks

[@akfisher7138]

My tip: use 2 bic plastic pen tops, either side of the pin. No damage.

[@PJmusica]

Thanks 👍

[@kostringworks]

My god dang pleasure!! 😊

[@donaldpoole2995]

Kyle, I had a standard peg head guitar made by a friend. Is it possible to turn that head into a slot head? Or will the break angle screw up the sound?

[@kostringworks]

It might be possible?! But most people would probably cut it off at the scarf joint and make a new one headstock.

[@joelmccoy9969]

The increased break angle of slotted headstocks is great and certainly colors the sound positively. The question that bothers me is: What guitar build will give me a good break angle on the bridge bone saddle without boring Six 6mm diameter adjacent pin holes through the bridge and soundboard? (yikes!) A trapeze tailpiece won't give the break angle but gets rid of the holes. Classical Guitar bridges are said not to be robust enough to hold the tension of steel strings.

[@kostringworks]

There is a steel string bridge that’s similar to classical styles that do some weird wrap under thing so the bridge can handle the tension. I suppose you could go that route. If I remember what the model is I’ll let you know!

[@timjones3423]

The E strings should be wound to the outside and the A, D, G, B to the inside unless the scroll is offset.

[@marino4691]

They did a slotted headstock and used the worst damn headstock shape you can pick, man seriously. slotted classical guitar headstocks are so beautiful and they do the damn rectangle shape, wow

[@cameroncook3863]

I want a slotted head stock on a dread

[@kostringworks]

Yeah why don’t we see too many of those!?

[@basilbcf]

My 50 year old Martin D12-35 is a slotted headstock.

[@kostringworks]

What a beauty of a guitar!!

[@thelittlemoontravelers]

lol I have same odd obsession with slotted headstocks. Something about the aesthetic. Great video

[@kostringworks]

Haha, I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for saying hey!

[@IdolMako]

so the same but rotated...interesting

[@kostringworks]

Yep! Mirror image no matter how you string it.

[@John-wr6yo]

On the smaller strings i go through the hole once ,go up and around the barrel and through the hole again and pull the tail tight and whind up to pitch.

[@kostringworks]

Woooah, never heard of that one. Crazy, I'll have to give it a whirl! Thanks!

[@Ziraffe2]

The slotted headstock is for the intellectuals the solid headstock is much more sexy

[@kostringworks]

What will sexy intellectuals play?! 😆

[@Ziraffe2]

Probably cello !

[@kostringworks]

bingo!@@Ziraffe2